


Shores

by Saberin



Category: Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: Angst, F/F, mermaid au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-06
Updated: 2017-06-06
Packaged: 2018-11-09 21:29:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11113245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saberin/pseuds/Saberin
Summary: In which they met at the two borders





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was written in 2015 lmao, and i never could find it in myself to write the third and last part of this story because my style changed drastically over two years. Have this old old fic :) someone drew art for this too check out http://saberin.tumblr.com/tagged/mermaid_au

 Her name was Nozomi.

It was supposed to mean hope yet why is her being filled with helplessness?

It’s almost like hope was trapped in the endless abyss of despair.

 

* * *

 

The adults warned them to never go near the shore.

After all, who in the aquatic empire had never heard of the foolish little mermaid?

They said that humans were terrifying.

They said that humans were heartless creatures.

They said that humans and mermaids were never meant to be.

 

* * *

 

Nozomi was a child that never listens.

She dismissed the legend, after all there was no such thing as the witch who grants wishes in exchange for voices.

There was something undeniably attractive about the tale though.

Was it because it was a forbidden love? Or was it because she yearn to experience something like that?

She wanted to take a peek at the world she was never allowed in.

She had never meant to taunt fate.

 

* * *

 

There were splashing sounds and ripples radiating from the worn bridge.

She could see two limbs kicking upon the surface of the river.

The sunlight was bright and warm, nothing like she ever felt underwater.

The air was cooling, smelling nothing like the sea.

She was about to leave, having seen her fill of the new world, eager to tell her sisters about it when those kicks suddenly turned the surrounding water into frantic splashes, akin to a fish out of water.

She couldn’t help but swim towards it in panic, after all a princess could never leave her people in a lurch.

Her arms caught the flailing creature, surprised to note the lack of tail.

Yellow tresses splayed across the blue canvas, and the orbs of azure were staring at her in shock.

It was no mermaid, it was a human.

The adults were right.

Humans were terrifyingly beautiful.

 

* * *

 

“Hey… Thanks for saving me! I never thought I’d slip…” The human said as she climbed ashore.

The shock of seeing someone with no tail had left her speechless.

“I-I’m Ayase Eli! And I’m here for environmental studies. That’s some nice sea shells…” Red seemed to pain the human’s face.

“A-AH!”

She dove under water for cover as she felt the human’s gaze upon her chest.

“H-hey! Umm… Do you want to come ashore?”

 

* * *

 

They sat by the bridge for a long time, for Eli that is.

Nozomi wasn’t quite sure why she stayed.

Maybe it had got something to do with the delighted smile on the human’s face everytime she made a noise of acknowledgment.

Maybe it had to do with her dying curiosity about another race.

Maybe it was her frantically beating heart that stopped her from swimming away.

“You’re a really good swimmer.” At this she smiled, she was after all one of the best swimmers in the empire, with only Umi besting her record.

“Will you be here tomorrow?”

There was no harm in meeting her again right?

 

* * *

 

One meeting turned into numerous others.

When Eli had turned up in some weird clothes one meeting, and had fell (willingly) into the water again, Nozomi couldn’t help but felt a sense of déjà vu, swimming towards her in panic.

She had caught the human in her arms again, but this time the azure eyes shone with mirth.

“Pfft Nozomi! I wasn’t drowning. I was trying to learn how to swim.”

“Don’t do that again! That’s not how you swim!”

“Then will you teach me?”

Eli’s hands reached out and touched her bare back, sliding down till it reached her tail.

Those eyes were looking at her earnestly.

“You knew?”

“It was rather hard not to notice that tail… And I actually took a peek underwater a few times.”

There was a cute blush on Eli’s cheeks again.

“Y-You wouldn’t turn me into sushi will you?”

Nozomi had recalled the first time the human told her about that particular dish, she had recoiled in shock.

The adults had been right.

“I would eat you-” The blonde had slapped her hand over the mouth at Nozomi’s frightened expression.

“No no no! I mean I would never eat a friend!”

Amidst all the fear, Nozomi couldn’t help but tear up at that.

As the eldest daughter of the mermaid king, friends were a luxury. All she had was her two sisters, Umi and Rin.

Maybe that was the reason why she had been so attracted to the blonde in the first place.

When she’s with Eli, there was no courtesy or etiquette to care about.

When she’s with Eli, she was free.

 

* * *

 

Eli never really mastered swimming, instead relied on the mermaid to bring her around the seas.

“Elichi! Are you listening?”

The blonde had taken to drawing lazily on the mermaid’s back with one hand, while the other hugged Nozomi’s waist as they swam down shore.

“Yeah? Detect the flow of the current and try to go with the flow? But Nozomi I can’t feel that.”

“Yes you CAN. Elichi pay attention!”

In a moment of anger, Nozomi had sped up and swam towards the sea.

The blonde’s grip on Nozomi’s waist tightened as they reach the end of the river.

“N-Nozomi? L-Let’s go back to the river…”

“I’m going to dump you here if you don’t learn how to swim properly.”

“I-I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! Nozomi! I’m trying!”

They ended up taking a break near the end of the tributary, with the mermaid sprouting a pout.

It was an ethereal view, seeing the mermaid perched upon a stone, sweeping her tail back and forth, as if she was kicking her legs.

The water on the purple hair only seem to enhance her beauty, reflecting light, making it seem like she was wearing diamonds.

When Eli closed in, capturing those pouting lips, all thoughts of swimming were forgotten.

 

* * *

 

Nozomi never listens.

Eli had learned that the hard way.

“Nozomi, there’s going to be deforesting done in the next few days, don’t come here alright?”

When the mermaid had turned up all grimly and dirty, coughing muddy water, a panicking and concerned Eli had torn through all her camping supplies for her bottle of water and towel, Nozomi stood by her reasons.

Seeing a cute and flustered Eli was enough reason.

When the river had become too shallow to swim in, yet the mermaid tried anyway, Eli had learned that Nozomi was a stubborn one.

Pain filled her eyes as she washed away the twigs and fallen leaves that had coated her love, exposing the numerous cuts caused by the bed of rocks.

“Nozomi…”

“I’m fine. Because I get to see you today Elichi.”

Eli had learned to prepare a large canister of water every time the mermaid visits.

 

* * *

  

Sometimes Nozomi were afraid to be too happy.

She was afraid that she would lose this happiness one day.

Wasn’t this love supposed to be forbidden?

Will she incur the wrath of the sea gods?

Rin had tried to dissuade her from her frequent visits, but Nozomi never listened.

She never did.

 

* * *

  
“Eli?”

“Hmm?”

The mermaid had turned her back upon her lover, as hesitant words spilled out.

“Were you only interested in me because I’m a mermaid?”

“What?” It was one of the rare days that Nozomi had shown such vulnerability.

She was backfacing Eli, who was sitting on the worn bridge.

In one quick movement, the blonde circled her arms around the neck, breathing words of assurances in her ear.

“You seem more like a goddess to me but I would love you anyway no matter what race or species. You’re Nozomi and it’s all that it matters.”

“What about in the future?”

“There will only be us in the future.”

 

* * *

 

Months passed by but it was never meant to be.

It was just like how she had feared.

“Nozomi, I need to leave.”

“Eli?”

Her heart froze, the surrounding air seemed even more chilling than the water prisons at the Arctic seas.

“I tried to delay the studying here but I need to go.”

“Will you be back?”

“I will.” There was a firm look, one that would normally calm her down, but she couldn’t help but feel something was off.

“How long will you be gone?”

“Just a month.”

 

* * *

 

Nozomi never listens.

When the adults said that humans were heartless creatures, she had refused to believe. Yet she couldn’t help but feel that the adults were right.

Elichi was heartless.

It had been a month of emptiness without her daily dose of Eli.

Another three days had passed yet Eli was never back.

The little dam that Eli had built to house Nozomi had broken; The season of high tide was coming.

 

* * *

 

It had been said that mermaids would die if they were apart from their soulmates for an extended period of time.

Much like how the salmons would travel thousands of miles just to go back to the same river to lay their eggs, once a mermaid had settled down with a partner there was no return.

It’s not that she forgot to tell Eli about it, it just that she never believed.

She never listened to what the adults say anyway.

 

* * *

 

Maybe the adults were right. Humans and mermaids were never meant to be.

She should’ve listened.

What is a maiden without a heart, or a mermaid without her tail?

Umi seemed to understand her pain, very often sending her looks of pain herself.

When she finally broke, her little sister had hugged her tightly, bringing her to the water prisons beneath the castle grounds.

“I love you Nozomi, seeing you in pain everyday…” Umi trailed off.

“You have someone you love too don’t you?” She shot Umi an understanding look.

“I will not do it. Father would break.”

“Tell Rin-chan, I love her. Tell her to beat your swimming record. She’ll grow up to be a fine swimmer.”

“Tell that to her yourself! You will come back to visit us won’t you! Nozomi?”

“I’ll try, now don’t cry. And thank you Umi-chan.”

Umi could only hope that the witch could save her sister.

With that she stepped into the cell, where a shrouded face awaited in the dark.

 

* * *

 

“I…”

“Speak no more, Princess, for I know what you will wish for.”

“You do?”

“You wish to be by your love’s side forever and always, am I correct?”

“Yes. Are you able to grant that?”

“Do you really believe that the tale of the little mermaid was nothing but a rumor?”

There was an empty laughter, as the hooded figure removed the shroud.

“Grandmother?”

Amidst all the emptiness, Nozomi couldn’t help but feel a new wave of tears crashing upon her. 

Her dam broke. 

It was a face that she only remembered in her dreams.

“Nozomi…”

“That couldn’t be! Why would Father imprison his own mother within the cell?”

“I did took his beloved away from him after all.”

“You mean, the little mermaid?!”

“She never wanted to be his wife and I felt truly sorry for her.”

“Is that why Father never allowed-”

It all made sense now, the King’s hatred for the humans, and his constant over protectiveness.

“Nozomi… Let me see your face.”

The weathered hands gently touched the princess’ cheeks.

“Oh how it breaks my heart to be sending my granddaughter away.”

“Grandmother… I’m living a life worse than death now.”

There was a kiss on her forehead, much like how her old granny used to kiss her to sleep.

 

* * *

  
The dagger within her hands trembled slightly as she swam up to the river where their memories lie.

She looked at the broken dam forlornly.

Was this the only way?

Her name was Nozomi.

It was supposed to mean hope yet why is her being filled with helplessness?

It’s almost like hope was trapped in the endless abyss of despair.

As the sun rose, bathing her with warmth, she thought of how lonely her sisters must feel, being apart from her.

She might never fulfil her promise to Umi.

Yet part of her was excited to see Eli again.

As the sun continued its trajectory, there was no mermaid to be seen.

The dense bubbles floated along with the flow of the current, down the river and into the sea, where a whirlpool awaited, along with the body of her love.

“ _I learned how to swim Nozomi.”_

_“I know, I found you.”_


	2. Chapter 2

Her name was Umi.

It was supposed to mean the Sea, where she belonged.

Yet why did it feel like she had no place in this world?

It's almost as if the Sea was _suffocating_.

 

* * *

 

The adults warned them never to go near the shore.

After all, who in the aquatic empire had never heard of the foolish little mermaid _princess_?

They said that humans were terrifying, she said that humans were fragile.

They said that humans were heartless, she said that humans were kind.

They said that humans and mermaids were never meant to be, she didn't reply.

 

* * *

 

Umi was a child that always listens.

She believed in the legend, after all it was the very thing that took her sister away.

There was something undeniably vile about the tale.

Was it because it was something that washed away Rin’s smile?

Or was it because it was something that unleashed the King’s wrath?

She just wanted to believe that everyone had their own reasons.

She wanted the smiles back.

She wanted to believe that her sister was right.

She had never meant to taunt fate.

 

* * *

 

There were splashing sounds and ripples radiating from the bottom of the cliff where she was on duty.

A sense of foreboding crashed upon her.

She could see two arms floating freely underwater, palms facing the direction of the skies, as the owner herself descent into the expanse blue.

She couldn't help but swim towards it in panic, after all duty ensured that she could never leave anyone in a lurch.

Her arms caught the limp creature, and she was surprised to note the lack of tail.

Ashburn threads splayed across the sea, temporarily shielding her sight from the vast blue.

The tresses were floating towards the skies, seemingly telling her that it was where the creature belonged.

It was no mermaid, it was a human, a girl that wasn't breathing.

Nozomi was right.

Humans were fragile.

 

* * *

 

“Hey… Did you save me? I never thought I'd survive…” the The human said weakly, after she coughed out all the water.

The human’s eye widened at the sight of Umi, prompting the mermaid to submerge further beneath the blue.

There was something Umi couldn't remember, and it was nagging at the back of her mind.

“So… did you, umm, did CPR on me…?” The phrase sounded oddly familiar.

“CPR?” Humans were a confusing race indeed.

“You know, the mouth to mouth thing?”

A sliver of memory seemed to make its way from the back of her mind.

“A-AH! I-I didn't mean to! Nozomi taught me all that in case I would ever need it!”

She dove even deeper underwater in an attempt to cool her burning cheeks, even though her heart ached at the memory of Nozomi, leaving only her eyes out in the open.

Her body refused to cooperate with her heart.

_She had to apologize._

 “I’m sorry… Did I.. Did I-?”

 _Did she take her first kiss?_  

It was a unvoiced question, but the girl seemed to know what she was going to ask anyway.

There was a small chuckle, a sound that Umi never thought would be elicited by a human.

It sounded more like a siren’s song.

“Hey do you want to sit by my side?”

 

* * *

 

They sat by the rocks beneath the cliff, for the girl that is.

Umi wasn't quite sure why she stayed.

Maybe it had got something to do with the sad smile the girl showed her whenever she tried to make a tactical exit.

Maybe it had to do with her faded memories that was desperately trying to resurface.

Maybe it was her undeniable attraction to the girl’s siren-like voice.

“So your name is Umi? Umi-Chan? My name is Kotori.”

“Kotori… How fitting? Seeing that you literally fell from the skies.” She couldn't help but let her guard down when Kotori flashed her a mega-watt grin.

Umi smiled, her cheeks aching all of a sudden from the lack of use.

There was something about her that Umi couldn't comprehend.

“Your name is fitting too, Umi-chan. You just came out of nowhere from the sea.”

There was a moment when Kotori’s eyes gave a faraway look.

Kotori’s smile dropped as Umi gave her a wistful one in return.

“Hey Umi-chan? Will you be here tomorrow?”

 

* * *

 

It seemed like Kotori had the power to see the future, and she easily busted Umi’s lies with ease.

She was found out on the second meeting.

“Umi-chan, you’re a mermaid aren’t you?”  
The lies were futile, Umi could never lie to a maiden.

One meeting turned into multiple ones, and each one left them yearning for more.

It had taken them a few months before Kotori finally asked the dreaded question.

“Can you show me your tail?”

There was a prolonged moment of hesitation, the blue-haired girl’s self-consciousness had hit her with such a strong force that she was left stammering.

She was a flawed mermaid, a broken piece.

“Umi-chan?”

It was something she had tried to hide, yet it was never successful.

She knew that the people back in the palace often gossiped about it behind her back, and her own father looked upon it with disdain.

There was a sound of a puff of air released as Kotori heaved the mermaid ashore, the latter being too shocked to resist.

“Kotori!”

A mermaid on land was only a fish out of water, and the only thing Umi could do was to flip her tail harshly against the sand.

Both of her hands were held in a lock after all; who thought that humans could be so strong?

She gave up resisting, the sand was hurting her tail, as she braced herself for the judgement that was about to be given.

She never expected a gentle caress, a touch that was almost afraid, upon her scar.

It had run from her hips to the halfway length of her tail, held together with metal wires that would always be there.

“The stitches were still there.” There was a whisper that Umi could barely hear.

“Stitches?” 

A chuckle graced her ears, a sound that was unearthly.

“These things, they are called stitches.”

The girl explained, as her finger traced the scar. Umi shivered.

There was Kotori’s trademark smile again, even though Umi’s instinct told her something was off.

Umi wondered why she hadn’t questioned about it all these years.

 

* * *

 

A fish out of water was vulnerable, and Umi never felt more so in her life.

The scar was a mark that she could never erase, a weakness she could never overcome, and a constant reminder of her imperfection.

Nozomi had told her she was missing for a few days, and found floating near the cliff with these metal wires.

She almost couldn’t swim after her return, and relied on the elder to bring her around.

The mermaid king’s look of scorn could be felt whenever she appeared in his line of sight.

_A daughter of the ruler of the sea, named after the sea, yet couldn’t swim?_

_There was no bigger humiliation than that._

Umi had worked hard after that, relentless in her pursuit to once again return to the sea as a proper mermaid.

Nozomi would often sneak into her room, patching her little sister up after the stubborn bluehead collapsed after pushing herself too hard.

Little Rin would often spend the night by Umi’s bed, and she would often wake up to find Rin clinging on to her.

She had succeeded in the end, with her sisters cheering her on, often joining her on her swimming trips. Be it swimming against the current, or escaping from angered guards, they tried all sorts of things together.

Yet Father was never happy, and now she knew the reason.

_She was tainted by humans._

 

* * *

 

There was a myriad of expressions passing through Umi’s face at the moment.

They had ranged from confused to hurt and sadness, and Kotori’s heart ached.

_Such an expression shouldn’t be allowed on a beautiful face._

She could feel the effect of the salt water upon her eyes, as they pooled with unshed tears.

_Umi-chan. She didn’t deserve this._

In her panicked attempt to deal with the tears that were about to land and desperation to wash away Umi’s sorrowful expression, Kotori did the only thing she thought of at that moment.

With one swift motion, she removed her shirt, her own scar in full glory as she awaited Umi’s judgement.

A gasp could be heard, and she couldn’t help but felt hurt at Umi’s shocked expression.

There was a pregnant silence, way too deafening even for human ears.

The loud thumping of her own heartbeat almost shadowed Umi’s next words.

“Do humans wear sea shells too?”

_Oh Umi-chan._

_She had completely missed the point._

“Umi-chan!”

Kotori released a sigh of relief that felt that it had been held for years, breaking into a fit of giggles. Only Umi could turn this into something else.

At the mermaid’s baffled expression, she held the other’s hand, and guided it to her chest, slightly to the left.

She could feel the mermaid’s hand warming up the cold patch of stitched skin, and her heart’s loud thumping.

“I have them too.”

 

* * *

 

 

Meetings with Kotori were becoming an addiction.

Kotori’s smiles were picturesque, and her voice was her song.

She had knew from the moment she landed her eyes on the human girl, that something was going to happen, Nozomi was always right after all.

These meetings had her feelings escalate beyond what she could imagine.

How could she not, when Kotori was everything she had hope for?

She had found kindness, acceptance and salvation.

She had even consulted Honoka on this, but it was turning out to be harder than she thought.

Umi knew she had to do it soon, before her courage disappears.

A crown made of seaweed with multiple colors  was trembling within her palms held behind her back.

“Kotori, do you know we have a sea god?”

“There is?!”

“Y-Yeah! I-Is there a human god or something?”

“Eh? I don’t know about that…”

“W-when the time comes, would y-you be my goddess instead?”

Her arm was tensed and ready, the gift was almost crushed by the force of her fingers.

“Oh Umi-chan what are you saying…”

Her heart had sunk then, and she knew she had truly fallen.

The crown had sunk deep into the sea as her fingers lost the reason to hold on.

At Umi’s defeated look, Kotori had giggled, a sound that sounded partially relieved and full of longing.

“Would you be mine instead?”

Over-due words that Kotori had longed to spill  finally made it out.

“I’m tired of being alone.”

Umi wasn’t sure how to react to that, and when the human crushed her in a hug that was too tight, her head had hurt.

“Me too.”

_They were broken pieces that complete each other._

 

* * *

 

Honoka, her childhood friend and daughter of the mermaid priest often came by, after Nozomi’s death to keep Rin’s company.

That's what she self-proclaimed though, Umi could never remember how they met.

There was an uncomfortable feeling whenever they were together, like Honoka _expected something_ from her.

Yet Honoka kept her silence; it was a frustrating relationship.

It was one of the rare days that she felt relieved when the energetic ginger came over, for she couldn't deal with her current situation.

Rin was giving her a heartbreaking look, her eyes with so much longing it was almost tangible.

“Umi? Where is Nozomi?”

“She left on an errand.”

It was always the same answer, and the same crushing guilt for she might as well be Nozomi’s executioner.

“Did she go into the tsunami? Like you did? She will be back right? Rin miss her nya…”

Her little sister had clung onto her so tightly, as she burrowed her face on her chest.

Her head had hurt with Rin’s words, as if she was forgetting something important.

She could feel a contrast in the temperature as Rin’s hot tears made its way out.

“Will you go away too? Will you leave Rin alone?”

There was muffled sounds and Umi couldn't catch what Rin had mouthed.

“I will not.”

Her sister had looked up at that, facing her with red eyes, with a look that seemed so trusting.

She almost broke then, when Honoka had crushed into them, embracing them both.

“Ehhh? Hugging without me? How unfair! Umi you need to share Rin! Come on don't be sel _fish_!”

Rin’s face lit up, all thoughts previously seemingly forgotten.

“Selfish Nya! Selfish! Did Umi get it?”

It was one of the rare moment Umi felt relieved, much like when she was with Kotori.

“She probably didn't. Blockhead Umi~ Rin come on let's leave your grumpy sister alone and grab some seaweed noodles!”

“Honoka!”

“Come on Rin! They only have three bowls left!”

“Umi? Do you want to come too?”

Rin had clung onto her wrists, looking hopeful.

“I have duties to tend to. Go on have fun.”

She watched as Rin’s hopeful expression fell, watched as she swam away.

She couldn't help but wonder if she could ever make Rin happy again.

 

* * *

 

Nozomi had been right. She always was.

Humans were kind and Kotori was especially so.

It had been a particularly rough night the day before, the storm unleashing chaos upon the land and sea like.

Umi had wondered if she should turn up at their designated meeting time and place, the storm didn’t seem to yield even a bit.

What if Kotori had turned up?

 _Honestly_. _She was just so stubborn._

Kotori did turn up the other day, even when it was raining heavily, her weather-worn hair tied into braids as she made her way to the cliff.

Umi had brought her into the sea cave beneath the cliff, a secret spot that she hadn’t been willing to share.

But Kotori had woven her way through her heart and she couldn’t bear to see her all wet and cold.

It was the mermaid  sisters’ favorite hideout till the tsunami years ago broke the cave.

It was a delightful surprise for the human girl as Umi ferried her on her back, the human lazily braiding her love’s hair as they swam.

The sea cave was luminous, and the deeper they went in, the brighter they glow, like stars upon the dark night sky.

It was a short journey and they soon reached the end of the tunnel, where the top had collapsed and the real sky could be seen.

Umi had let her off then, on the collapsed rocks.

It had became their secret place instead, as Kotori soon discovered that the cave was shallow enough to jump from the outside.

Umi had hurried into the cave that day, amber eyes desperately searching for any sight of the human girl.

The storm had been particularly bad, it was so bad that Honoka’s father had been summoned.

The water level was rising by the second, _way too high than it should be._

The mermaid swam towards the end in a frenzy, her frozen heart never beating this fast.

The rocks were completely buried under the sea.

_Kotori wouldn’t be able to see the depth of the water from the outside._

_If she had jumped..._

As the storm raged on outside, Umi’s emotions turned into a furry of storm itself, as she desperately searched the cold waters for something that couldn’t be found.

The water was freezing up as her heart froze, it was just like losing Nozomi again.

 She didn’t know how to deal with this a second time.

She had just lost her precious sister, and to lose her only lifeline now-?

“UMI-CHAN! Are you out here?”

“Umi-chan…”

Her ears perked up at that, and her heart thawed.

_Was that Kotori?_

She had used her powers then, the heat in the current guiding her up, the bubbles escorting her all the way to the surface.

A human girl was near the cliff, hunched over on the sandy ground.

As Umi made her way to her side, she could see Kotori cradling a lifeless bird.

“Kotori?”

“Umi-chan!” She had broke into tears at the sight of the mermaid, her face crashing onto her shoulder as hot liquid flowed freely.

“Umi-chan… The bird! The bird… I-I saw it falling into the water… I tried to save it but…!”

The numerous cuts on the human’s arm were bleeding as the red and clear liquid mixed together.

Nozomi was right, humans were kind.

And Kotori was exceptionally so.

_How could a bird survive the stormy sea?_

“It’s okay. He will be fine now. He had gone to another better place.”

Her tears hadn’t stop then, and it didn’t stop for a long while.

Umi had silently brought her tail up, covering the poor shivering girl, radiating just enough heat to keep her warm, as her upper limbs held her in a hug.

They held in that position for a long time, their silently thumping hearts beating as the sobs of the tailless faded.

“It’s okay I'm here Kotori.”

An unshakable feeling of coldness had engulfed her, even as she tried to keep the heat up.

When she had returned, Honoka was waiting for her by her room.

“Umi, the storm. The sea god was upset.”

The Sea God had only been upset thrice in her life.

When her mother had disappeared, when her sister had left, and when she felt her heart being stolen by another.

“Your father was angry.”

He knew.

 

* * *

 

She had tried, she tried.

She tried to not go back to the place, but she went back weekly anyway.

She was addicted and Kotori was her drug.

It was hard to fall out of love.

It felt wrong, even though it was temporary. 

She was once again reminded that she wasn’t supposed to be happy.

It was selfish of her to be happy.

She couldn’t be, not when Rin remained downcast, not when her Father was still grieving.

But every meeting with Kotori felt like salvation, and she finally felt like she could _breathe._

Was this how Nozomi felt?

When she was with Kotori, there was no duty to care about.

When she was with Kotori, even for a brief moment, there was no grief. 

When she was with the human, she felt free.

Yet her duty ensured that the chains of her freedom would never be removed.

 

* * *

 

A very long time ago, the Sea God had fallen in love with the God of sky.

It was during the creation of the New World, and the Sun in seeing so, had split them apart least it affected their duties, an eternal curse that was never lifted.

The descendants of the Sea, would turn into bubbles upon their death, fulfilling the Sea God’s wish to reach the skies upon death.

Some choose not to, as the sea was their home.

Their souls would never reach the sky anyway, why bother?

It had been said that the saltiness from the sea water was because of the Sea’s tears as she yearned for the sky.

The storms that happened were then the angry tears of the Sky crying for the Sea.

It was also the results of them trying to protect their descendants from falling for each other.

 

* * *

 

“Umi-chan, your tail seemed to be hot and cold all of a sudden.”

“Yeah... It's my power.”

She had tried to keep the conversation to a minimum, just looking at Kotori had brought about a new wave of guilt.

“Umi-chan?”

“Kotori, do you think the sky and sea will ever meet?” She couldn't help but ask.

“Do they not meet at the horizon? Where the world ends?”

_They will never meet._

Yet Umi couldn't find the heart to tell her.

When she finally opened her mouth, she couldn't say it either, not when another pair of lips had stopped her from doing so.

_I know._

It was a sloppy kiss, one that was eager on one side while the other was clumsily trying to keep up.

It had reminded her of something as a burst of memory finally got decoded.

The kiss was abruptly ended, as Umi gasped.

“Kotori, did we meet before?”

There was a forlorn smile, and it told her everything she needed to know.

“Did you remember everything?”

“No… just that s-something like this before…when we were younger?”

Her head had hurt, the pain didn't go away even as she clutched it within her palms.

“Ughh I can't remember!”

Kotori had embraced her then, placing soft kisses upon her head.

“It's okay, maybe it was meant to be forgotten.”

 

* * *

 

She had been planning to tell Umi the day before.

She had wished for word of assurances, something to keep her heart still as they reopen the wound.

No matter how many times she went under the knife, she could never feel sure that she would be perfectly fine.

A visit from her old childhood friend, a ginger who used to be too energetic, however, had stopped her from doing so.

She had learnt about a whole new world under the vast blue, where Gods, legends and magic existed.

She had learnt of the various curses put in place, a work of the Gods.

The mermaids could never leave their soulmates for a long period of time, or risk death, a curse put in place least they fell for the wrong kind.

Her heart had hurt then, would her love disappear if it fails?

Her friend was in tears as she continued the story, of the mermaid King, and of her lover’s sister.

“He was going to lock her up, Rin couldn't lose another sister.”

“The Sea needs her, she's the next in line.”

 Every death of the direct descendants would cause a phenomenon in the sea; the city of Atlantis was the result of one.

“Honoka-chan…”

“Kotori… Please don't hate us… It is- It is- our duty.”

“I won't…. But what will happen to Umi-chan?”

It was surprising that she hadn't broken down, the shock of hearing such tales hadn't fully sink in yet.

Her friend had looked at her with such a heartbreaking look that her chest hurt.

There was only one way to bypass the curse.

“Her grandmother will wipe her memories of you away.”

_Maybe she was meant to be forgotten._

 

* * *

 

Every step she took felt like the last.

Her heart was heavy as she watched her love swim through the starry cave.

She could feel it coming, she could feel that It was their last meeting.

When she had requested for Umi to ferry her out, she had agreed.

 Umi’s swimming was little haphazard, a little different from usual, but her humans eyes couldn't spot what was wrong in the dark.

The sea breeze had engulfed them the moment they left the cave, bringing a scent of salt and iron across.

Umi had felt oddly cold that day, as the human wrapped her arms around the mermaid in the embrace.

The temperature was dropping as the sun hid its glow under the horizon.

Their last touch had felt cold.

When they separated upon the shore, Umi had looked at her with a  blank expression.

“Kotori, let's not meet again.”

She had felt her heart stop, the pain stabbing her heart much like how the scalpel had run through her that day, when anesthesia didn't fully work.

It was hard to breathe, and time seemed to slow down.

She became oddly aware of her surroundings.

Umi’s stitches were gone.

Besides the fact that it was mildly bleeding, there was no sign of any man-made stitches.

_Maybe she was meant to be forgotten._

_“_ Forget about me please. Just like how I had forgotten about you.”

She had gasped then, how could Umi say such cruel things?

She could see Umi digging her fingers into her palms; it was held so tightly that it was almost white.

Maybe it was for the best.

It wasn't like she had very long to stay.

“Okay.”

She could see Umi’s eyes widening in shock, as her blank composure broke.

Hurt overwhelmed her love’s face.

The rocks near them were freezing.

“Y-you are not going to ask w-why?”

This had sounded more like the Umi she knew.

“It's okay. I never really loved you.”

She had turned her back against the mermaid, the tears that were threatening to spill had flowed freely.

When she turned around again, there was no mermaid, only the vast blue sea years ago.

 

* * *

 

Kotori was luckier than her parents, that's what she thought anyway.

Because she had the option to choose where her final resting place would be, but they didn't.

They said she had another month left, but what was the point of living, when her heart no longer had anything to beat for?

The past month had been empty and void of colors.

She wanted the blue Sea to embrace her one last time.

 

* * *

 

There were splashing sounds and ripples radiating from the bottom of the cliff where Umi was on duty.

She shouldn't be, not when it was Rin’s birthday that day, but she wouldn't feel complete unless she made her rounds around the cliff.

A sense of foreboding crashed upon her.

She could see two arms floating freely underwater, palms facing the direction of the skies, as the owner herself descent into the expanse blue.

She couldn't help but swim towards it in panic, after all duty ensured that she could never leave anyone in a lurch.

Her arms caught the limp creature, and she was surprised to note the lack of tail.

Ashburn threads splayed across the sea, temporarily shielding her sight from the vast blue.

The tresses were floating towards the skies, seemingly telling her that it was where the creature belonged.

It was no mermaid, it was a human, a girl that wasn't breathing.  

Nozomi was right.

Humans were fragile.

 

* * *

 

_The memories of a little girl with ashburn hair playing in the sea with two little mermaids were lost to the sea, locked away forever._

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hey misa if you're reading this thanks for drawing it, i'm glad we managed to become friends after


End file.
